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 We believe many health issues arise from preservatives, sugars, heavy processing, antibiotics, growth
hormones, and harmful insecticides and chemical fertilizers in food
production. For that reason, we are always looking for the best treats
for our canine family. And, in our quest to find the best bully sticks
available, we learned some important albeit
expensive lessons!
We knew that it
was important to find a free-range, grass-fed protein product, and
initially ordered Bully Sticks from Top Dog, a new company on the
market. However, we were upset when we found the sticks to not be
odor-free. So, we tossed them out and went with a company that quite
boldly advertises
having odor-free products. Placing the required minimum $300 order, we
were now happy, as indeed, these Bully Sticks were odor-free.
Unfortunately, that happiness was fleeting as further research about
issues related to odor and also irradiation came to light. As Top Dog did not employ
irradiation, our original purchase from them actually had
been the better one after all. Although a costly learning experience,
we can now feel confident that we are providing the best treats of
this kind for all of our canine friends.
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BULLY
STICKS 101
All Bully Sticks are not
created equal. The first thing to consider when
purchasing bully sticks is the country of origin. Most of
the bully sticks found in major pet stores are from India or
other parts of the world outside of South America. The
living conditions of people and livestock in these countries
is less than appealing, and as such, Top Dog only sells product
from free-ranging South American cattle. These cattle are
considered to be “green cattle”
 as they are given NO hormones, NO antibiotics, NO steroids,
and they are fed NO feed. These cattle typically graze
freely on open, wild grass fields, and drink from fresh
springs and streams. They grow slowly and naturally, fed NO
corn to make them big and fat. Many ask why not buy
bully sticks from North American cattle. The reason for this
is that most of the cattle in the
US are kept in feedlots and encouraged to grow at a much
faster rate (via growth hormones) than that of free-ranging cattle. Another difference between bully sticks on the marketplace
is whether or not they are vertically drained and then
baked. It is much cheaper to sun dry bully sticks and other
natural treats, but
it is much riskier as potential diseases
and bugs can enter the product much more easily. All
of Top
Dog's treats and chews are baked—which is more expensive—but
this allows for the quality of the product to remain quite
high.
All-Natural
Bully Sticks are truly different. Most of the bully sticks on the market
are irradiated—Top Dog's are not. This is due to the fact
that irradiation actually destroys
nutrients and creates new chemicals in food (learn more about irradiation here). All of Top
Dog's products, that are exported from Brazil, are first inspected by the
country's Ministry of Agriculture in accordance with
international sanitation standards. Since 1990 Brazil has
not registered a single case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
(Mad Cow Disease), the European Union classifying Brazil as being among those
countries with the least chance of developing the disease. Top
Dog
products are then evaluated by both the FDA and USDA, approved without problem or disease.
The bully sticks we carry are also not
smoked, which adds a process and ingredients that we believe are
just not healthy for our dogs. The problem is, most businesses
fail to mention if their sticks are smoked or not. Smoked sticks
can tend to look prettier and even be thicker; however, their
quality is definitely lacking.
Who says size
doesn't matter? For safety reasons, we only recommend
chews 12 inches in length, and in the highest width possible.
Many companies advertise bully sticks, using various
descriptors, such as. standard, thick, very thick, jumbo, and/or
premium. Top Dog Treats honestly does stand behind their name,
and has guaranteed us that premium thick bully sticks will be
just that. When their Premium 12" Thick
sticks are ordered, they are hand-picked to guarantee quality
and size consistency.
To
the dog, the whole world is a smell. Although our furry pals
love stink, we tend to want to mask what we believe are
offensive odors. But, a totally natural product will automatically retain an associated odor. Bully
Sticks are an all-natural beef product and as such should
have some odor to them. If you ate a banana or even a steak,
the expectation is that it would smell like a banana or a
steak, and if it didn't, you'd certainly be suspect. Many
manufacturers currently selling bully sticks wash their
products in peroxide and other chemicals which are not
healthy. However, the result is a product that has no smell
at all. We prefer to offer products which are truly
all-natural, and as such, they are going to have a slight
odor.
Don't be fooled by the price.
You will see Bully Sticks selling for $1 to $8 each,
thicker and larger product tending to fetch more. However,
product from companies that utilize questionable practices is
clearly not worth the same as product such as that which we are
selling, which is 100% free-range, natural, irradiation-free,
antibiotic-free, growth hormone-free, etc.
The problem is that many companies are
selling poor-quality product at ridiculous prices, and folks are
being fooled into believing that they are getting something good
for their dogs. And, that is the saddest part of this equation.
All you have to
do is ask. We are amazed at how afraid folks
are to ask businesses about their products before making a
purchase. Remember, companies want to make a sale and do not
always mention what is done to bully sticks. They leave out the
fact that they may be smoked, that the animals had received
antibiotics and hormones, they they were subjected to
irradiation, insecticides and chemical fertilizers were utilized
in the raising of the cattle, etc.
SAFETY can never be stressed
enough! We only recommend and sell chews
that are thick and 12 inches in length, despite the size of
the dog. While some dogs are slow and methodical chewers,
others can be quite aggressive when greeted with such a
treat. It is always important to remember that you MUST supervise your dog
when utilizing this, or any kind, of chew. We keep our Alfie in the same
room with us and watch him as he slowly chews and softens
and ingests his chew. When it gets to about 4 inches in
length, we take it away and toss it out. In that way, we do
not need to worry about him ingesting a large piece. |
Click here for a much larger
image
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PREMIUM Free-Range 12" THICK Bully Sticks
*Only limited quantity
available,
so do not hesitate in ordering!
Bully Sticks are
a great way to give dogs something to chew on that they'll love
and is great for them too. All of our bull sticks promote
healthy teeth and gums, and are made from free-ranging Brazilian
cattle, so you don't have to worry about how safe they are. They
are 100% beef, meaning your dog can actually safely digest them,
unlike that of ingesting chunks of chemically-processed beef
hide from rawhide-type chews.
We do not pack these in
plastic bags, as this could trap moisture and cause molding.
They are very stable products when kept in a cool and dry
environment with exposure to air. Bully sticks can also be frozen for
prolonged storage.
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Benefits
 NO irradiation (learn what this means)
NO hormones, no antibiotics, no steroids
NO chemical processing
NO preservatives or nitrates
NO fillers, additives or added flavors
NO smoking or basting
NO colors or dye, so won't stain carpet
Naturally from free-ranging, grass-fed beef
Healthy alternative to rawhide
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Ingredients
100% bull penis
Source
Brazil
USDA & FDA approved |
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Click here for
a much larger
image
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PREMIUM Free-Range
12" Beef Trachea Tubes — 5 Tube Pack
Beef tracheas are very digestible and their crunchy texture is music
to any dog's ears. Sometimes referred to as “moo-tubes” or “windies”
or "windees," these hollow 100% beef windpipe treats,
are a great alternative to standard chews.
Trachea tubes are a source high in natural Chondroitin,
and for both growing and mature dogs,
consistent intake of naturally occurring sources of
Chondroitin helps to form, nourish, and replace collagen, which
helps make up our cartilage. Helping to
maintain healthy joints is particularly important for
large dog breeds that are prone to hip dysplasia.
For variety, you can fill these tubes with peanut butter.
Or, for a delicious frozen treat, break them in half, fill with
one of
Suzi Beber's Frosty Paws Natural Recipes,
and pop it in the freezer. Your furkid will simply love this
kind of crunchy and frosty snack, just like we love the combined
textures in ice-cream cones! These
tubes are very stable product when kept in a cool and dry
environment with exposure to air. Beef trachea tubes can also be frozen for
prolonged storage. 12" long X 1.5" wide.
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Benefits
NO irradiation (learn what this means)
NO hormones, no antibiotics, no steroids
NO chemical processing
NO preservatives or nitrates
NO fillers, additives or added flavors
NO smoking or basting
NO colors or dye, so won't stain carpet
Naturally from free-ranging, grass-fed beef
Healthy alternative to rawhide
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Ingredients
100% Beef Windpipe
(Trachea Tube)
Source
Brazil
USDA & FDA approved |
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ALL NATURAL Premium Free-Range THICK Bully Sticks &
Moo Chews
